The present invention refers to a device for the supply of a gas. Such a device is disclosed in the previous application of the applicant, WO01/45790.
During surgery, which is performed in an open manner, i.e. when an inner portion of the body is uncovered for the performance of the surgical operation, it can be important to prevent air from the surroundings to reach the open portion of the body in order to avoid infections, for instance. Such infections may be caused by microorganisms and bacteria, which are always present in the surrounding air and which fall down towards the open portion of the body. It is thus desirable to create a protecting atmosphere around the open portion in order to protect said inner portion from non-sterile air and also falling particles. In addition, different surgical operations may involve various requirements on the protecting atmosphere. In this connection it is referred to WO01/45790, which discloses the supply of a gas for the formation of such an atmosphere.
In order to create such a protecting atmosphere around, for instance, a temporary open, inner portion of a human being, it is important to avoid the formation of turbulence in the supplied gas volume, which should form the protecting atmosphere, since the turbulence may involve mixing of air from the surroundings in the gas volume. WO01/45790 proposes the use of a foam rubber body for the supply of a gas with a controlled laminar flow at an extremely low flow velocity from the surface of the porous foam rubber body.